Comfort Food

I can classify this as Gourmet Comfort Food. Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling that’s primarily made out of potatoes (I add some Ricotta to mine) and then it’s generally tossed in a rich cream sauce, I prefer pesto! This goes extremely well with a nice glass of Chianti.Ingredients:2 Large Potatoes40g Ricotta Cheese160g Flour7g Salt1 Egg 60g Pesto 20g Cream5g Pine nuts5g Parmigiano ReggianoCrushed Black PepperMethod:Boil the Potatoes till tender.Once cooled, Peel & mash the potatoes.Ad  Read more

Sunday special Chocolate Chip Cookies! I like mine super moist from the Center! You need:Ingredients:• 250g Flour• 200g Unsalted Butter• 100g Caster Sugar • 150g Brown Sugar • 2g Baking Powder• 2g Salt • 2 Eggs • 5ml Vanilla Essence • 75g Dark Chocolate Callets (Callebaut)Method:• Cream the butter with both the sugars with the paddle attachment. • Add the vanilla and both the eggs one after the other.• Sift the flour, salt & baking powder. Add t  Read more

This is my favourite type of breakfast when I’m in Malaysia. I had my first bite & I was hooked; I felt like telling Nutella we’re breaking up! If you’re a Coconut addict like me, you would absolutely adore this dish! Try it out & see it becoming your favourite breakfastoption or afternoon snack.Ingredients:For the Kaya Spread -8 Eggs400g +100g Castor Sugar200g Coconut Cream1/2 Vanilla Pod/ 1 Pandan Leaf20g Unsalted ButterFor the Sandwich -Thick slices of White bread/BriocheSal  Read more

I don’t drink. It’s something that anyone who knows me well enough will tell you. I love Wine. I actually understand it without trying to be a pretentious snob but I can’t do bottles of it. If there’s one exception to my I-cant-drink-even-socially vibe it’s Aperol Spritz. It’s the ultimate summer drink. Blood orange Italian Liqueur, Crisp Prosseco & Soda. There’s something nostalgic about this drink that one sip transports you to a street side cafe in any cute Eu  Read more

This is probably one of the most carb-heavy sections on my website. Why? Because I simply love carbs. Comfort food for me is simple, fuss-free & Delish! This baked potato is probably one of the simplest dishes I make & relish. Ingredients:6 Large Potatoes (300g Approx)30g Amul Butter2 Cloves Garlic, crushedA handful of Fresh Parsley15g Sour CreamFresh Chives, choppedPiri Piri SaltCrushed Black PepperTin Foil  Method:Scrub the potatoes well since you’ll be  Read more

If you’ve been perusing through my posts, you already know that I am a big fan of Fried Chicken. While holidaying in Austria, I had Chicken Schnitzel twice a day and didn’t feel any guilt whatsoever. Once back home, I had to make do with these beaten Panko Chicken cutlets but even these are yum and go amazingly well with the Potato salad I learnt from there. Ingredients:250g Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast4 Cloves Garlic, crushedSmall bunch of Parsley leaves50g Panko Breadcrumbs25g Pa  Read more

My favourite food group hands down is Carbs. There’s just something about a basic wholesome pasta that screams comfort! An Aglio Olio Peperoncino sauce basically translates to garlic, olive oil & Chilli peppers. I make mine with a little more intricate details and I love sopping up the leftover garlicky oil from the pasta with some warm Ciabatta!Ingredients:1/2 Packet Spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice40ml Extra Virgin Olive oil ( The best kind you can get your hands on)8-10 L  Read more

The first time I tried this dip, it was a part of a mezzo style platter at a Greek Taverna in Mykonos. After badgering the server for the recipe as is my habit, I managed to get a rough idea and came up with my own concoction. Juicy red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes & feta make this the ultimate Sandwich spread, I also serve it as a dip with Pita chips & crudités. Ingredients:2 Red peppers2-4 Cherry Tomatoes2 sun-dried Tomatoes2 Piri-Piri Chillies2 Pods Garlic30g Feta10ml Olive o  Read more

Big Chill does a lovely Penne in Vodka sauce. Albeit, it’s too creamy and tastes like a tomato sauce pasta. Vodka is supposed to enhance the flavor of Tomatoes in a way water & olive oil can’t. The sauce has a distinct peppery zing and I like putting just a touch of cream instead of making it the main ingredient. Try it with a Pasta of your choice or a nicely riddled juicy chicken breast.Ingredients: 1 Can Tomatoes (Mutti)4 pods of Garlic, crushed1 Red Onion1/2 Green Bell Pepper20ml O  Read more

This was a staple for me when I was a chef-in-training at Le Cordon Bleu, London. They had a small café attached to the school that served the best hot chocolate, sandwiches and of course outstanding patisserie. They used to serve a soup-of-the-day with a large slice of Rye bread & Butter. It made my day when this was on the menu. A British classic in a French culinary school. I make this when I miss my ultimate soup for the soul!Ingredients:1 Bulb of Garlic, Peeled20ml Olive oil1 Celery S  Read more

A handy snack that’s high on flavour & nutritional value. Usual Almonds get an interesting smokey-sweet twist. These can be made in advance and stored in Zip-lock bags. I always end up keeping a small bag on me for when I’m out of the house for long & hunger pangs come calling. It’s also lovely with a cappuccino or a glass of bubbly.Ingredients:300g Raw Almonds5-7g Cayenne Pepper2g Sea Salt40g Honey 15g Brown SugarMethod:Prepare an oven tray with a Silpat mat & prehe  Read more

At a lovely Bistro in Moscow, I came across a dish that roughly translated to Beet Caviar. It was basically a dip with Beetroot as the hero. It felt amazing to gobble up with some Russian bread on a cold Moscow day. After Badgering the server a little bit for the recipe, I managed to make a similar one at home, albeit not identical. Serve it at your next party or slather it on some toasted Sourdough for those nights in.Ingredients:2 Large Beetroots, Peeled2 Pods Garlic, Crushed3 Medjoul Dat  Read more

A Tangy raw salsa, this one's easy-peasy and can be swapped for commercial ketchup. Best served chilled with Baked pita crisps.Ingredients:2 tomatoes, finely chopped1 onion, finely chopped1/2 capsicum, finely chopped7-8 slices Jalapeños, rinsed and finely chopped1 pod garlic, crushed1g ground cumin1 green chilly, finely sliced 1/2 lemon, juicedsalt to tastecrushed black pepper Method: Mix everything in a bowl; check salt and spice levels. Chill at least 30 minutes before consuming. Happy d  Read more

It’s really sad that when we talk of the classic Italian Antipasti - Bruschetta we end up mispronouncing it. (It’s Broos-sketta, not Broo-sh-etta) and then we make it worse by only visualizing cherry tomatoes tossed in olive oil, basil & garlic on top of bread. I don’t have a problem with that combination. In fact, I love it. But stereotyping it to one variety is sad. I like doing different bruschettas and they’re the perfect canapé especially when the majority of your guests  Read more

After a living for a year in London I became a very tea and biscuits kind of a girl but my first love was and always will remain chunky, gooey, American style cookies. A Snickerdoodle is one such hybrid which hits both notes, a minute here or there in the oven can change their entire texture! A scrummy buttery shortbread tasting cookie coated in cinnamon sugar. Snicker Doodles.Ingredients275g Flour10g baking powder2g salt180g caster sugar2 Eggs220g butter 5g Vanilla essenceFor the  Read more

Fettuccine tossed in a Mushroom Alfredo sauce served with some buttery garlic bread was a standard order growing up. Over time, these flavours became what you can identify as comfort food. A regular Mushroom Alfredo sauce is extremely fattening and basically empty calories. I came up with this healthier alternative that satisfies that woody, creamy craving and is less than 120 calories per portion. Spread it on tostadas, use it as a sandwich filling, toss some quinoa pasta with it, serve  Read more

A French concept that the world adopted, the humble ham sandwich is a staple in most western countries. I like mine with a little kick! Ingredients: Mini Ciabatta ( L’opera) Good quality chicken Ham ( Lionfresh’s Champagne chicken ham or Prasuma’s Chicken paprika Lyoner) Greek yoghurt ( Epigamia) shredded iceberg lettuce  3 pods garlic crushed 1g garlic powder 1/2 green bell pepper chopped  1/4 onion finely chopped 2g Sriracha 1g mustard 4-5 green olives washed and sl  Read more

Cucumber sandwiches used to be a school tiffin staple. Simple bread, a slathering of Amul cheese spread, thinly sliced cucumbers with a dash of pepper or chaat masala - these are flavors we've grown up with. This is my take on the perfect cucumber sandwich, it’s just that like us, it’s grown up a little. Ingredients: Sourdough bread ( Artful Baker) Crisp cucumbers ( local Vendors call them English cucumbers) Philadelphia low-fat cream cheese 10g fresh dill, finely chopped 15g fre  Read more